The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-04-02

loneliness.
When che was busy about her house
work, her baking, her washing and iron
ing, she left all the doors standing open
that I might still hear her CHEEKY voice
as she sang or talked to me. Then, when
all her work was done, she would put
clean white apron over her black dress
and sit close beside me, stitching busily
on the household linen, while I read
aloud whatever had most pleased me in
my morning studies.
She devised little dainty dishes to
tempt me to eat; she put saucers of flow
ers on my table that might cheat myself
into fancying I was outdoors, as their
perfume crept out on the air, she assur-
ed me, petted me, loved me, till even my
misfortunes seemed blessings drawing
us nearer together.
all that saved me from misery, John
Hayes asked me to give him Ruth for his
wife. could have struck him dead when
he etood before me, young giant in
| oohOhSbht WAOI LIS huAu6Ou0 5uE-puTuJ
face glowing with health, and wanted to
take away my one blessing, my only home
child.
81 will be true son to you. Mr.. Mar
TIM" he said earnestly, II will never take
Ruth from here; but let me come and
share her life and lift some of the bur-
dens from her shoulders"
1 laughed bitterly. knew we'll what
such sharing would be when Ruth had a
husband, and perhaps children, to take
her time and her love from me. But L
was not harsh. did not turn this sutton
from my house and bid him never to
speak to Ruth again, much as I longed
to do it. worked more cautiously.
let him go from me to Ruth; and when he
left her, and she came to me all rosy
bushes, to tell me with dropping lids and
moist eyes, of her new happiness, work.
ed upon her love and her sense of duty
till she believed herself monster of un-
grateful wickedness to think Of leaving
me or taking any divided duty upon her
hands.
I wept, asking her if she could face her
dead mother, after deserving her helpless
father. I pointed out to her the uncease-
ing round of wifely duty that would Keep
her from my side, and proved to her that
the duties of child and wife must clash, if
undertaken under such circumstances as
were proposed.
The loving, tender heart yielded to
me and John was tearfully dismissed.
Through the warm autumn months, when
the corn ripened and was garnered -
when our crops were blessed and the lit
tie bank fund was increased by the price
OF the farm produce, Ruth grew very quiet
and subdued. She was not sad, having
always CHEEKY word and pleasant smile
for me; but the pretty rose tint left her
round cheeks, and [ no longer heard her
singing at her work. When read the
best pages in my books to her. would
see her eyes fixed dreamily on some far
away thought, her work lying idle, till
she woke with start at my fretful
questions.
For grew fretful and trying in those
days. wanted her to give up woman's
dearest hopes and sweetest affections, and
be the same sunsbiny Ruth she was be.
fore my hand tore away her love dreams.
wanted her to put away all the loving,
tender ties of wifehood and motherhood,
and pass her life in devotion at the arm
chair of paralyzed old man. And when
she complied with gentle, touching sub
mission, then I wanted her to be the
bright, happy girl who had resigned
nothing, and who could nurse sweet
girlish fancies, with John for hero. An
unreasonable old tyrant, wasn't I?
The winter came in early that year,
and before Christmas everything was
frozen up tight and the cold was intense.
We piled up coal ia the stoves, listed
doors and windows that is Ruth did
the work, and enjoyed the result; but
there came one cold day one Friday
- when it seemed no Goals, no listing
could conquer the cold. Children froze
on their way to school that day, and were
found stiff and stark leaning against the
fences. Food froze on the tables. Ask
any one in Maine if they remember that
black Friday, and see if some mothers
eyes will not fill as they think of the lit
tie scarlet hooded figures brought to
their doors, white and rigid, that had lift
ed round, rosy cheeks for kiss only a
few short hours before.
This cold Friday Ruth hurried through
her work in the morning, making my
room the warmest place in the house,
covering my armchair with soft woolens
and moving it near the stove. 1 would
have it face the window, for my glimpse
of outdoor life was too precious to resign;
but was not, as usual, near it, for Ruth
said there might be draft.
When all was done indoors saw from
my chair Ruth, with scarlet cloak and
hood thrown over her, going to the well
with an empty bucket. She stepped
along quickly over the hard, frozen
ground, and was admiring the trim lit
tie feet and the dainty figure, when I
saw her slide to the two steps that were
above the we'll walls, and fall She |
had slipped, and she lay doubled up be-
tween the two wooden steps and the